1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to intelligent systems which perform actions based on "behavior" learned from experience. More particularly, it is directed to a general purpose intelligent system which modifies actions taken in response to a statistical valuation of the positive or negative effects of associations based upon the proximity in time between perception patterns developed from responses by input sensors, and actions previously taken in response to such perception patterns.
2. Background Information
Currently, there is a good deal of research being directed to the creation of artificial systems and devices with intelligent behavior. Some of these systems are based on symbolic serial programming, such as for example, expert systems. Others are mainly based upon connectivity or parallel distributed processing such as for example, neural networks. There has recently been considerable advance in the field of neural networks as many fields of application have been researched, such as for example, pattern recognition and machine vision. Much focus has also been placed on animal sensory perception and its possible emulation. Robotics currently has a mixed environment, but in most cases serial programming is employed.
While a great deal of research is being performed in these various detailed areas, there is a need to understand the general framework within which many different fields of knowledge and techniques can be organized. When the aim is not merely technological mimicry of living beings' partial areas, but a total acting intelligent system, the general architecture of such a system has to be defined. An essential task is to define the central system which monitors the peripheral input/output areas. There is therefore a need for both a general view of the total system and a description of the core which relates the sensorial perception input subsystem with the output subsystem.
The architecture and central core of general purpose acting intelligence systems have to be universal enough to be valid for any kind of environment, any kind of inputs or stimuli and outputs, such as movements and other reactions. But, at the same time, they have to be explicit enough so that they can be implemented in a system with specific sensory devices, specific outputs and in a concrete environment.